Published Wednesday; June 28, 2006

25% Rate Increase Approved for HL Power

The State Corporation Commission (SCC) has granted HL Power & Light a rate increase that is 43 percent less than what the company sought. The company requested an increase of $20 million. The SCC approved $11.5 million.

The SCC-approved rate applies the ratepayer protections that exist under Harleov law as it continues its transition to an electricity supply market intended to be competitive.

On July 1, the company's fuel factor will increase from 3.0699 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to 5.6185 cents per kWh. The increase means the monthly bill of a residential customer using 1,000 kWh will increase by $25.49, roughly 25 percent. The company has thousands of members in Harleov County.

The allowed increase is based on a fuel index procedure that was put in place when HL chose to sell its generating plants in 2000, as was allowed, but not required, by Harleov Electric Utility Restructuring Act. The fuel index procedure was intended to protect HL's members from paying higher rates in the future than they would pay if HL had not chosen to divest its generating plants.

In reference to HL's 2000 decision to sell its generating plants, the commission wrote, "It would be unreasonable to force ratepayers to rescue the company from the results of its own economic business decisions ... decisions that HL freely made and which were not forced upon the company by the commission."

The Commission added, "We are keenly aware that this rate increase will work a hardship on Harleov's members; however, we must apply the law, pursuant to which we find that HL is entitled to the increased revenues approved herein."

HL 's requested 49.5 percent rate increase was based on the results of an auction that HL conducted to receive bids for power it no longer generates for itself. Regarding this auction, the commission commented, "The fact that there was only one bidder - and that bidder was an affiliate of (HL) - raises questions as to whether the resulting price was, in fact, 'competitive.' "

Responding to the decision by the SCC to approve a 43 percent rate hike, an anonymous county official issued the following statement: "While in normal times a rate increase of 25 percent would be harsh, under the circumstances, I think it is the best we could have hoped for. The SCC staff and the Attorney General's Office have done a great job holding HL Power to its agreement made in 2000. Thanks to all who wrote to the SCC and who joined us in testifying against the rate increase before the SCC."

Sore Butt

Gweep is still soaking his butt in ice cream a week later. When asked to comment why, he simply let out a Bleech and went back to sitting on the ice cream and told us to close the door. Perhaps we got carried away with all the spankings, but gweep is gweep. He always says no and so we obviously though he was playing around with us.

Bella Attacks!

A few days ago Dizzy went camping. You might know her from her Astrology section or in the Talks section Anyway, as she was camping a bear happened upon their camp site. As you might imagine, Dizzy was scared, very scared. When asked if this were common, bears in Australia? Sounds kind of fishy to us but she had this to say; "That isn`t all that unusual, because about 100 yards away there are signs warning that crocs live in the area. First time I saw the signs I wanted to pack up and go home."

Crocodiles and Bears in the same area? That seems suspicious but Australia is strange after all. She snapped the picture to the top right to prove without a doubt this was real, more than that, Bella attacked the bear trying to protect Dizzy and her family. Dizzy - "Bella is not technically my cat, I am like her foster mother," and added in response to a question that Bella was tapping into Dizzy's Glisten stash, "Who can tell who`s stash of what she got into when she was younger? What makes you think I have a stash of Glisten? Looks like I need to secure the perimeter again.

It is said the bear ran away crying. Though that is just rumored. All we know is that if Bella can fend off a bear, well we would be more scared of her than the bear.

Aussie Hissy Downunder!

Wombats and kangaroos have nothing on Dizzy when she has a hissy fit! Many things can bring on a hissy fit, and there are various threat levels.. A few days ago we came so very close. This time it was the board being slow, perhaps during an automatic backup. We were at a HISSYCON 2. Look at the levels below to get a sense of how close to the brink of a Hissy Fit we came. Now we are at HISSYCON 4.

HISSYCON 1: Maximum Hissyness.
HISSYCON 2: Increased Hissy Readiness (Less Than Maximum).
HISSYCON 3: Increased Hissy Readiness.
HISSYCON 4: Peacetime; Increased Intelligence; Strengthened Hissy Measures.
HISSYCON 5: Peacetime.

July 4th

July 4th is right around the corner so get your fireworks ready, get your party on and have some fun! If you happen to live in another country, you can celebrate as well. Just remember to do the July 4th dance at the appropriate time... If you don't know how then you can find out all about it with a simple online search.

Also Trallyus tells us the first season dvd of the new Dr. Who is coming out on July 4. So if you have time check that out.

Forum Kicks

Gweeptish: "Admit it Harold, You get your kicks creating forums. As soon as people register you cancel it and start another."

Harold: "I'm not admitting anything."

Spraytech: He's feeding the forum board hunger for the rest of us

you stay and starve from under nourishment

Harold: "Time for a snack."

Kristopher: "Umm, I hope not one of us.."

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Quicktime

Does your copy of quicktime studder when playing music? Try the following - Run "Quicktime Player" - click "Edit" , "Preferences" , "Quicktime Preferences" , and click the first box until "Sound Out" shows up , and change from "Directsound" to whatever your sound card is that shows up under "Directsound"

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Top Active Posters Are

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10.) Joseph with 5318 posts +144

Mover & Shaker

Well Joseph, the new addition to the top posters list has taken the lead this week with 144 posts. A remarkable feat! Looks like we may have a new weekly winner on our hands. Spraytech came in second with 109. He'll have to do better than that to win. Surprisingly Trallyus dropped off to 39.

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Joseph

Member #: 142
Title: Orchard Manager
Total Posts: 5204
Birthday: 9/2/1987
Location: Georgia, U.S.A.
Registered on: 11/10/04 09:24 PM

Latest Post - #129504 - 06/27/06 09:52 PM: I am not sleepy. Yet, my eyelids feel heavy. Maybe I need chocolate? Good night!

What is it like being a moderator at Harold's?: Being an administrator at Harold's is relatively easy. The board software is, for the most part, quite solid. I have very little technical work to do.

However, our alpha version of UBB.threads 7 is a different story. My current task is to strip the content islands from the main forum page, making UBB.threads 7 look more like what we're used to. Before I wrote the response to this question, I was banging my head against my keyboard in a terrible fit of frustration.

My moderation duties are almost non-existent. Everyone at Harold's Place are kind, decent people. There have only been two occasions that have called for my moderating abilities. I hope that those first two incidents are my last two.

About Me:: Kristopher wanted me to write something about myself for the Harold Star. I hate writing about myself, which usually makes the piece terrible to read. I'll do my best to be entertaining and--most importantly--brief.

I live in Georgia, and I am a senior in high school. Living in the boonies, there are few things to distract me. That frees most of my time for schoolwork. I keep straight A's in all my classes. My favorite classes have been Biology, Chemistry, and World History. Being ill for most of the last half of 2004 threw me behind schedule, so I will finish school a semester late. After that I plan on going to college and majoring in Biology or Pre-med. I'm going to do my best to end up in a good medical school.

I love to travel. I just wish I had the money to go places as often as I would like. Being in a power wheelchair and traveling with a ventilator presents many frustrations. Lack of information on ground transportation at your destination is terrible. Even with the vastness of the Web, many questions won't be answered until your plane lands and you jump in with both feet.

That is why my fantasy job is to be a travel writer, writing columns in magazines showing disabled people how to navigate a city and where they can (comfortably) sleep and eat. There is nothing more thrilling than being someplace unfamiliar; and I want to show handicapped people that they can have those wonderful experiences just like everyone else. It just takes some planning and good resources.

I have three cats, Yancey, Simon, and Charlie. I have a twelve-year-old Black Labrador that loves me to pieces and would love to kill the UPS man.

I think this is plenty, don't you? It would be tedious reading if I went any further with this. Many of you know me fairly well, anyway. (You know who you are.)

From My iPod's Top 25 Most Played List:: 1.) Building a Mystery - Mirrorball, Sarah McLachlan

2.) Drawn to the Rhythm - Solace, Sarah McLachlan

3.) UR - Former Infatuation Junkie, Alanis Morissette

4.) Fallen (Live) - Afterglow Live, Sarah McLachlan

5.) Gloomy Sunday - Rarities, B-Sides, and Other Stuff, Sarah McLachlan

6.) Fumbling Towards Ecstasy - Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, Sarah McLachlan

7.) Fear - Mirrorball, Sarah McLachlan

8.) I Will Remember You - Rarities, B-Sides, and Other Stuff, Sarah McLachlan

9.) Crazy - The Collection, Alanis Morissette

10.) You're So Real - More Than You Think You Are - Matchbox 20